The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-06-08
Meeting of Pomona Grange.

Vermont Central Pomona Grange, Patrons
of Husbandry, held its second quarterly
meeting with Snowsville Grange at Braintree
the I'd instant. AT the opening session the
grange was oificered as follows: Master,
Salmon Williams; overseer, George Heb
bard steward, II. G.. Kibbee: assistant
steward, NJ. Il. Flint; lecturer, Joseph
Gould; chaplain, David Flint; secretary,
II. p. Abbott; stewardess, Mrs. NJ II. Flint.
Upon calling the roll of the oranges it ap-
peared that six of the seven organizations
that compose this body were represented.
Nearly all reported good degree ofinterest
in their meetings and an increase in MEM
bership since the last quarterly meeting.
Mr. Gould spoke at some length on the OBJ
ject OF the grange and some of the causes of
its failure. He thought the financial de-
partment was not of as much advantage as
it formerly was. 'lr. Howard thought
there was as large, if not larger, per cent
saved now than twelve years ago. Mr..
Abbott did not think the financial de-
partment all there was to it; he considered
the literary work of great worth and knew
of no better school than the grange. Mr..
l.. A. Flint, secretary of the State Grange,
occupied some time relating some of the
duties of the subordinate oranges in relation
to the public lectures that are to be held in
the state next fall, and at late hour the
grange was closed. After sumptuous din
ner had been served from the well-flled
lunch-baskets the meeting was opened in
the church by music by the choir. The
question of the advisability of using COM
mercial fertilizers was then discussed. Mr..
Little thought in some instances they were
detrimental, while in others they might be
used to advantage. He thought by their
use the farmer was induced to pillow too deep
and manure too lightly. He believed in
thorough manuring. Mr.. III. G. Kibbee had
used them on grass with good results. Mr..
Howe had used them on some soils
with good results, while on others he
had received no benefit from their use.
His method for India wheat was to
wet the grain and then stir in all the
phosphate that would stick to it, Mr.. NJ. r.
Flint did not consider commercial fertilizers
worth much on his farm. He had much
rather have ashes. Mr. C. l.. Dewey thought
land might be MANFRED too highly. He
could discover no benefit from ashes on his
farm, while he could from phosphate. Mr..
II. G. Colt said we must rely mainly upon
the manure that we make and take more
pains to increase the pile by saving the
liquids by the use of absorbents, but at the
same time some fertilizers might be used to
advantage and profit. Mr. Trask of Maine
then made some general remarks, which
were well received. He had travelled in
ten of the states, and in no one had he
found such an abundance of good pure
water as he had found in Vermont. He also
said that where he found the church neg
lected there he found the poorest farms. He
did not think much of fertilizers thought
the scent of them would kill anything He
would save all the absorbents that the
liquids would saturate and increase his
crops in that way. Mr.. l.. A. Flint would
not rely wholly on fertilizers and did not
think it best to pillow in good grass sod to
raise other crops He considered the hay
crop the best one to raise. The meeting,
which was an interesting and profitable one
throughout, was brought to a close by prayer
by Rev. George f. Boynton. HIP.